Follower for file drawer



Aug. 19, 1952 w, DUNLAP 2,607,352

FOLLOWER FOR FILE DRAWERS Filed Feb. 7, 1945 MIX/1 0 Dov/6 ,0

i at enteci Aug. 19, 1952 FOLLOWER FOR FILE DRAWER William A. Dunlap, Corry, Pa., assig'nor t Corry- Jamestown Manufacturing Corporation, Corry,- Pa., a corporation of New York Application February 7, 1945, Serial No. 576,642

4 Claims.

v This invention relates to an improvement in a filing cabinet drawer, and more particularly to a follower therefor adapted to hold cards, files of papers, etc, in a substantially upright position.

I It has been the-practice in structures of this kind to provide a follower that was either supported by the drawer through the use of rearwardly or forwardly extending support or guide members. The followers having rearwardlyextending support or guide members have not been considered suitable, since these members prevented movement of the follower to therear of the drawer. Thus, a certain amount of space was unavailable for files and, when this space is multiplied by four drawers in a cabinet and several cabinets, it becomes of considerable importance. Followers having support or guide members extending forwardly thereof have been provided with one of two types of looking or securingstructures by which to prevent undesirable rearward movement of the follower when in place-to hold papers or other file material. In some instances, the channels, formed in the drawer sides for the purpose of receiving the follower support or guide members, have included, in one or more flanges thereof, a series of apertures or ridges. An operable element, having one or more teeth projectible into the apertures, or a surface complementary to the ridges, was provided and made operable through a release lever conveniently located on the follower. A further structure of this nature is the L. A. Vanderhoof Patent No. 2,081,470, wherein the channel of the drawer was smooth but the channel engaging member of the follower was formed with teeth adapted to engage one of the channel flanges to prevent inadvertent movement of the follower. In those structures having apertures or ridges in the drawer channel, it is found that the follower cannot always be adjusted to render exactly the desired compact with means for securing it in any position of adjustment throughout the length ofthe drawer. It is also an object of the invention to provide securing means fora drawer follower that'will function to hold the drawer contents in any desired state of compactness; that is, from an ex' tremely loose to an extremely compact condition. It is another object of the invention .to provide means for securing a drawer follower that is en'- tirely silentin operation and that, by reason of its structure, does not, throughout use, cause such wear to take place as would detract from its operation, or render it objectionable due to noisy operation. It is also a very important objectof the invention to provide securing means for .a drawer follower that is of the nature of an antifriction clamp and which, operation, relies solely on the pressure of ,two elements uponopposite surfaces of another element for its action.

Other objects and'advantages of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated from a consideration of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing; and in which Fig. l is a perspective View of a file drawer with a follower and securing means therefor, embodying one form of the invention, parts of the drawer being broken away to more fully disclose certain of the followers structural details.

. Fig. 2- is a fragmentary perspective viewof the follower showing the mounting and" securing mechanism therefor and the manner in which it ness of the drawer contents and, further, that movement of the follower from one position to another, caused considerable noise and, in time, wear of these surfaces prevented their proper functioning to hold the follower against pressure of 'the drawer contents. In the structure disclosed in the above mentioned patent, the teeth of the movable member, carried by the follower, in time produced uneven or rough surfaces on a flange of the drawer channel, and the follower not only made undesirable noise when adjusted, but would not function to secure the drawer contents in any and all desired compressed conditions.

It is the purpose and principal object of the present invention to provide a drawer follower ismounted in the drawer;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse sectional'view of the drawer channel with the follower parts mounted therein;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary edge View of thefollower showing the support and securing means in position to lock or secure the follower against movement with respect to the drawer;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the securing mechanism in released position, preparatory to movement of the follower along the drawer; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the lever by which the 'follower securing means may be actuated from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5-.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown mounted in a drawer, generally indicated by the reference numeral Ii]. The drawer includes the usual front H, rear I2, and side walls 13. The side walls 13 are formed with longitudi nally extending channels I4 which serve the dual purpose of providing. space in which to mount a follower support and guide, as well as rigidify the side walls. In the present adaptation of the invention, the drawer channels [4 are each formed with a base wall I6, vertical wall I! and top wall I8 that corresponds to the base wall. The top wall may terminate in a depending flange [9 which serves, to restrict, .to someextent, the opening 2| ofiihechannel.

A follower 22 consists of an upright plate that may terminate at its upper end in a rearwardly rolled portion 23. The front surface of the plate is unbroken and smooth for contact withthe file contents of th drawer. Somewhat above the horizontal center and adjacent its verticaledges, the follower is provided with permanently ,attached supports or guide shoes, generally indicated by the numeral 24. These supports each include an arm 26, applied to the rear face of the follower in substantially the position shown inthe d awing, .being secured thereto in any suitable mannenas by welding. One end:of thisarm 't nates in an angularly disposed flange 21, vIrayir ga generally triangular opening 28 therein. The support 24 includes an arm 29 that exteI 1$. at right anglesto arm '26 and forwardly of'the'fol 'z flEach arm 29 is of channel form, having upper andjlow'er flanges 3| connected by a vertical wall 132. "The arm 29, towards its outer end, is so formed that the flanges 3| converge slightly as indicated at 33, and then diverge to form short ,danges 34 having the original spacing of the flanges 3 I. As may be seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing,1the channel shaped arm 29 is adapted to be received in the spac 2| of the drawer channel [4 in such a manner that it cooperates with said channel to'form an enclosure.

Moun ed nthe'space withineach arm channel 29 is an adjustable plate36. At on end this plate terminates a laterally. offset portion 3! having a downwardlyopening recess or slot 38 therein. The other end of each plate is tapered, substantially in conformity with the converging flanges 33 of the arm 29. Mounted at this endof 'f the plate, are, a pair of rollers 39, or their equiv- Asshown in the drawing, the rollers are of the'fioating type, being held in place by pairs of 'lugs'4l which may be attached'to, or formed from, the plate" 36. These lugs confine the rollers jjonly against movement lengthwise of theplate, gthaplateproper andthe wall I! of the drawer channel I4 serving toprevent lateral displace- ,ment of said rollers. Forming a partof, or secured. to, the innerface oft-he wall I? of drawer channel'l4is a rail 42 which, in they presentdisclosure, is substantially midway between thetop and bottomchannel flanges l6 and .I8. As will benoted, two rollers 39 are carried by each of the plates 36. ,Structure is assembled, is located above the rail One of these ro-llers,'when the 42 and the other therebelow.

triangular openings 28 of flanges 21. At itsextrem ends, thebar 43 is formed with lugs 44 that project into theslots 38 of plate'flanges 31. Centrally, the bar 43 is fitted with a release lever '46 that includes anupper finger portion 41, channel .48 in-which to receive the bar, and lower-portion be rocked, the bar 43 serving as an axis for such ,movement. Since it is desirable to yieldingl re- .tainth lev r. in a positi n suchthat th f ll we will be locked or secured against movement with 1 ,Atthe rear o-fthe follower,'a rocker bar 43 is locatedfthe-ends thereof projecting through the with the rail 42.

respect to the drawer, spring means is provided. This means may take the form of a looped, U- shaped spring 5|, the closed end 52 being engaged with the portion 49 and the open ends 53 anchored to the follower in any suitable manner, as by engagement with struck-out portions 54. For convenience of assembly, thelbar 43 vmay be formed in two parts, one part being permanently attached to the lever 46 and th other part joined thereto in any suitable manner, as by one or more screws 56.

' The structure of the invention having been described, the general assembly and operation thereof is set out as follows:

Following permanently securing the supports or guide shoes 24 to the follower, the rocker bar 43 and lever 43 are assembled. Plates 36, with their. rollers 39 in place, may then be mounted in the shoes, the slotted ends of the plates receiving the ends of the bar 43. Although not heretofore mentioned, it is common in drawers of the type disclosed, to cut away, for a short distance, corresponding portions of the top and depending flanges l8 and I9 adjacent the'front I l of the drawer. The purpose of this, obviously, is to facilitate inserting the follower in its entirety into the drawer, the shoes 29 dropping into place in the channels I4. The rails 42 also terminate somewhat short of the front II. This structure in no wise affects the usefulness of the follower, since it seldom, if ever, occurs that the drawer contains so little file matter that the follower is required tobe in its forwardmost position in the drawer.

After installing the follower, the 'lever 46 is tilted against tension of the sprin 5| from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 5. This movement rocks bar 43, causing rearward movement of plates 36 with respect to arms 29 of the guide shoes 24'. 'Rearward' movement of the entire fol lower causes-rollers 39 to be positioned above and below rail 42 and it will be noted, in this position of the partsthat the rollers are loose with respect to the adjacent faces of the rail lz and the adjacent faces of the inclinedflanges 33 of the shoe. Upon releasing the lever, ac-

tion of'the spring-5! rotates bar 43 and moves plates 39 forwardly with respect to the shoes. Such movement causes the rollers 39 to ride along the inclined flange portions 33 to aposition such that they effect frictionalpressure engagement Any effort to move the follower rearwar'dly when the rollers on plate 36 are in the position just described (Fig. 4), merely augments or builds up the pressure engagement of the rollers with the rail. Inasmuch as this means of securing the follower against inadvertent movement longitudinally of the drawer is entirely frictio'nal and not dependent on the location ofslots or ribs in the drawer channel, the follower may be located at any exactly desired position in the drawer and will remain in such position, regardless of thepressure of thefile contents, until release is effected by movement of the operating l ver-:46.

Although applicant has shown and described only one modification of his inventionynamely, that Of a frictional structure for securing a drawergfollower in any desired position'of adjustment longitudinally of the drawer, it will'be understood modifications of the structure shown and described may be made and are contemplated insofar 'ELS'jSllCh modifications are within the spirit and scope of the annexed claims.

ethus set forth my invention what 5 7 claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a drawer having a side channel and an inwardly extending rail; of afollower, a guide shoe on said follower proj cting into and being freely movable along said channel, a plate in said shoe, rollers loosely mounted on that portion of said plate located in said shoe and straddling said rail, roller guide means on said shoe, and other means on said follower operable to move said plate and cause said rollers to be moved in a path determined by said guide means, whereby said rollers are brought into clamping engagement with said rail.

2. The combination with a drawer having a side channel and an inwardly extending rail; of a follower, a guide shoe on said follower projecting into and movable along said channel, a pair of bodily movable rollers in said shoe, straddling said rail, an adjustable member mounting. said rollers, means constraining said rollers to move into clamping engagement with said rail when bodily moved in one direction by said member, and a lever carried by said follower operable to effect movement of said member in said one direction.

3. The combination with a drawer having a side channel and an inwardly extending rail; of a follower, a guide shoe on said follower straddling said rail and being movable along said channel, a pair of bodily movable rollers in said shoe located one on each side of said rail, guide means in said shoe for directing movement of said rollers, in one direction, into clamping engagement with said rail, and means carried by said follower operable to effect movement of said rollers into and out of said clamping engagement.

4. The combination of a drawer having a side channel and an inwardly extending rail; of a follower, a guide shoe on said follower projecting WILLIAM'A. DUNLAP.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the I file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,068,190 ,Watson et al July 22, 1913 1,237,824 Roycroft Aug. 21, 1917 1,441,465 Welham Jan. 9, 1923 1,910,689 Gronberg et a1 May 23, 1933 2,043,323 Gourley et al June 6, 1936 2,081,470 Vanderhoof May 25, 1938 2,389,612 Cleven et a1 Nov. 26, 1945 

